Carton for connectors and the like



Jan. 1, 1963 T. E. TRETHEWEY CARTON FOR CONNECTORS AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-$heet 1 Filed May 1, 1961 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent Ofifice 3,0?l30h Patented Jan. 1, 1963 ware FiledMay 1, 1961, Ser. No. 106,572 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 229-20) This inventionrelates to a container suitable for use as a dispenser for small objectssuch as electrical cn nectors, nuts, bolts or the like.

A primary purpose of the invention is a container of the type describedwhich permits ready access to the contents.

Another purpose is a container of the type described which is easilyassembled from flat blanks of foldable sheet material.

Another purpose is a container of the type described which has a simplyoperated interlock which positively prevents complete separation of theinner and outer sections of the container.

Another purpose is a telescopic container having an inner and outersection, the outer section being slideable relative to the inner sectionto expose an access opening and permit removal of the contents.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings andclaim.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a completed container in the closedcondition,

FIGURE 2 is a view, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the container sectionsmoved such that the access opening is exposed,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the inner section of thecontainer with one flap open,

FIGURE 4 is an end view of one side of the container in the closedposition,

FIGURE 5 is an end View, similar to FIGURE 4, showing the container inthe open position,

FIGURE 6 is a top View of the container in a closed position,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing the blank which forms the inner section,and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the blank used to form the outer section.

Considering FIGURES 7 and 8 first, the inner section blank 10 mayinclude two somewhat rectangular sections 12 and 14 which form thelarger sides of the inner section and two somewhat smaller sides 16 and18 separated from the sides 12 and 14 by score lines 20, 22 and 24. Asshown herein the container is generally rectangular in cross section,but the invention is not limited to this particular shape. The containermay be any size and any shape. Rectangular is one satisfactorycross-sectional shape when the container is to be of pocket size. Theinner section 10 may be completed by a flap 26 which is separated fromside 12 by a score line 28.

When the inner section of the telescopic container is assembled, theblank 10 which is preferably formed of a foldable sheet material, suchas cardboard or the like, is bent along the score lines 28, 20, 22 and24 and then folded to form a hollow section. The flap 26 may be glued orotherwise secured to the side wall 18. After the container has beenshaped and glued together, it may be folded back to a substantially fiatform for storage or transportation.

As shown in the drawings, the bottom end of the side 12 and the top endof the side 14 have flaps 30 and 32 which are separated from the sidesby score lines 34 and 36. The flaps are conventional as are end flaps 38adjacent each end of the smaller sides 16 and 18. When the container isassembled, the inner section 10 is opened into its generally rectangularshape. The end fiaps close the end of the container after it has beenfilled with nuts, bolts, electrical connectors or the like.

The outer section 40, shown in FIGURE 8, has two larger sides 42. and 44and two smaller sides 46 and 48. There is a flap 50 which is glued tothe side 48 after the blank has been bent along score lines 52 andfolded into a hollow section. Once the outer section has been glued orotherwise secure-d together, it may be folded into a susbtantially fiatcondition for storage and transportation. The cross-sectional area ofthe outer section 40 is slightly larger than the cross-sectional area ofthe inner section 10 so that the two sections may be telescopedtogether, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

One side wall of the inner section 10 may have an access opening 54which may take a variety of shapes, and as shown herein, is somewhatsquare with angled corners. The size and shape of the opening willdepend upon the type of object in the container. The access opening orwindow 54 may be positioned in any one of the sides, as what isimportant is its spacing relative to the end of the container. Spacedupwardly, as shown in the drawings, the access opening 54 is a slit orlong narrow opening 56 which may be along the score line 29. Theparticular lateral spacing of the slit 56 is not important. What isimportant is the length of the slit relative to the size and position ofopening 54.

The outer section 4% may include a notch or the like 58 which may besubstantially similar in shape to one side of the access opening 54.Spaced above the notch 58 is a flap or the like 60 which may be hingedalong score line 52 and cut out of the side 46. The flap 69 is generallyin alignment with the slit 56 as will appear hereinafter.

The slit 56 and the flap 60 form an interlock between the inner andouter sections of the assembled container. The depth of the notch 53 maybe generally equal to the distance from the bottom of the opening 54 tothe score line 34, or the distance the access opening 54 is spaced fromthe end of the inner section. The length of the access opening 54 plusthe length of the flap 60 may be generally equal to the length of theslit 56. With this relationship, when the inner section is placed in theouter section, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and when the sections aremoved relative to each other, the interlock will permit sufiicientrelative movement to expose the opening 54, but no more. If the outersection has no notch, then the slit 56 may be lengthened to completelyexpose the opening 54.

FIGURE 1 shows the container in the closed position in which the accessopening 54 is masked by one of the side walls of the outer section.FIGURE 2 shows the container in a similar manner except that the outersection has been withdrawn or moved relative to the inner section toexpose the access opening 54.

To form the interlock between the inner and outer container sections,the outer section is slid on the inner section in such a manner that thenotch 58 is generally in line with the access opening 54. The flap 60 isthen pressed down through the slit 56 such that the flap is beneath theside 16 of the container. FIGURE 3 shows the flap oil in dotted lines asit Will be when the containers are assembled and interlocked. Once theflap is positioned within slit 56, it will permit movement of the outersection relative to the inner section a distance equal to the length ofthe slit 56 minus the length of the flap. In other words, the flap movesback and forth within the slit until the ends of the flap contact theends of the slit. Although in the drawings we have shown the interlockopening as being merely a long slit, it may be desirable in someapplications to provide slits in the sides 16 and 12 adjacent the endsof opening 56. Such an arrangement may help in positioning the flap 60in the interlock opening.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

Shown and described herein are improvements in containers which areformed of folded sheet material, such as cardboard or the like. Thecontainers may be of pocket size and are useful both as a shippingcontainer and as a dispenser for use on the job. For example, nuts,bolts, electrical connectors, etc., may be stored in the container andkept in the pocket of the workman on the job. When he needs one of theobjects in the container he merely slides back the outer section and theaccess opening is exposed. One or more connectors or the like may thenbe shaken out of the container for use.

Of particular importance is the interlock between the inner and outersections. The particular slit and fiap arrangement, although shown aspositioned on a corner of the container, may be positioned on any one ofthe sides and at any location. The particular positioning of i the slitand flap is not important as long as the interlock permits sufiicientrelative movement to expose the access opening.

The access opening may be positioned in any one of the sides of thecontainer and may be of any shape. What is important about the accessopening is its size relative to the interlock parts and its positionrelative to the end of the container. It should be possible tocompletely expose the access opening with only a small movement betweencontainer sections.

When using the container for electrical connectors or the like, it isdesirable to locate the access opening away from the end of one side tostrengthen the container or carton. For lighter items, such ascigarettes, small candies etc., the access opening could be at the end.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and describedherein, it should be realized that there are many modifications,substitutions and alterations thereto within the scope of the followingclaim.

I claim:

A container formed of foldable sheet material and including an innersection and an outer section of the same approximate size and shape, theinner section having a slightly smaller cross sectional area than theouter section and being telescoped within the outer section, said innersection being slideable relative to the outer section and having endclosures and an access opening, said access opening being generallyintermediate the ends of the inner section but substantially closer toone end than the other, an interlock between the inner and outersections permitting suflicient relative movement to expose the accessopening including a long thin opening in the inner section extending inthe direction of movement of the telescoped sections, said interlockopening being formed along one edge of the inner section, a flap hingedalong an edge of the outer section and extending through said interlockopening, said opening having a length substantially equal to the lengthof the access opening plus the length of the flap, and a notch at oneend of the outer section in general alignment with the access openingand having a length generally equal to the distance the access openingis spaced from one end of the container, said notch being aligned withone iside of said access opening when the outer section has beenslidably moved to expose the access opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

